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Frog life Cycle

Just like butterflies, frogs undergo metamorphosis (a change of shape) during their life cycle. A tadpole will develop back legs first, then front legs.
After a few weeks, their mouth starts to widen, then their eyes start to bulge out and the tail begins to shrink and eventually disappear.
When the lungs finish developing the froglet makes it’s way onto the land and, abracadabra, it’s a frog!

Stage 1: Spawn (egg-mass)

Frogs lay many many eggs because of many dangers faced between the egg stage and a full grown frog.

Frogs lay up to 4,000 eggs at one time!

Some frogs leave after this point, but others stick around to watch over the little ones.

Usually, about 6-21 days after being fertilized, the egg will hatch.

Most eggs are found in calm or static waters, to prevent getting too rumbled about in infancy!

Stage 2: Tadpole

Tadpoles hatch from the eggs and live in the pond.

They have poorly developed gills, a mouth, and a tail.

It's really fragile at this point.

They usually will stick themselves to floating weeds or grasses in the water.

Then, 7 to 10 days after the tadpole has hatched, it will begin to swim around and feed on algae.

After about 4 weeks, the gills start getting grown over by skin, until they eventually disappear.

The tadpoles get teeny tiny teeth which help them grate food.

Stage 3: Tadpole with legs

After about 6 to 9 weeks, little tiny legs start to sprout.

The head becomes more distinct and the body elongates.

By now the diet may grow to include larger items like dead insects and even plants.

The arms will begin to bulge where they will eventually pop out, elbow first.

After about 9 weeks, the tadpole looks more like a teeny frog with a really long tail.

It is now well on it's way to being almost fullgrown!

Stage 4: Froglet

The tadpoles turn into Froglets. The body shrinks and legs form.

By 12 weeks, the tadpole has only a teeny tail stub and looks like a miniature version of the adult frog.

Soon, it will leave the water, only to return again to laymore eggs and start the process all over again!

Stage 5: Frog

The Froglet's tail shrinks, the lungs develop and the back legs grow and then we have a Frog.

By between 12 to 16 weeks, depending on water and food supply, the frog has completed the full growth cycle.

Now these frogs will start the whole process again...finding mates and creating new froggies.

Some frogs that live in higher altitudes or in colder places might take a whole winter to go through the tadpole stage.

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